Project decription:
The last decade has seen a steep decline in the cost of DNA sequencing, putting sequencing projects that was previously only possible for big labs with good funding, within the reach of much smaller labs. This has resulted in a sharp increase in the amount of available genomic data, moving from idealized genomes of single individuals to the sequencing of whole populations. Another feature of the new genomics is the rise of the global genome consortia, tying together big and small labs to collaborate on increasingly ambitious sequencing projects. This has further cemented the dependency on computers in making and certifying biological knowledge and databases as central hubs in networks that pools vast amounts of sequence data. Within this context, a group of researchers at the Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis at UiO undertook the sequencing of the Cods genome, one of the first vertebrate non-model organisms to have their whole genome sequenced in 2009. In 2014 this sequencing effort was expanded to include a population 1000 cod in order to chart traits of economic and scientific importance.
This project seeks to trace this sequencing effort. It explores the new genomics through participant observation in lunch meeting between scientists and in the sequencing lab, and through interviews with scientists. It also seeks to explore the virtual spaces in which genomic data is processed and made into knowledge. A particular attention is paid to scripting as a mode of scientific work. It seeks to answer questions like “how is biological knowledge made and certified in the new genomics?”, “what type of text is a shell script?” and “how does sequence data and citations compare in scientific communication?”
The PhD project is part of the larger ERC-project Enacting the Good Economy: Biocapitalization and the little tools of valuation which investigates the sciences and the economics of the emerging bioeconomy.
Thesis supervisor:
Kristin Asdal (TIK, UiO)
Commentators:
Ana Delgado (TIK, UiO)
Tone Druglitrø (TIK, UiO)
The seminar is open to everyone, and the manuscript is available upon request. Please register for the event by sending an email to i.h.johnsen@tik.uio.no
Welcome!